the first turning of the wheel of the doctrine 31the beginning of the discussion.^65 The “path of vision” refers to one
of the two paths that constitute the path to salvation as developed by
the Sarvstivdins, outlined above. Also these sections on the “brahm-
wheel” and the “path of vision” contain elements that are related to
the developed Sarvstivda path to salvation.^66
The last part of the section of the *Abhidharmamahvibhstra in
which arguments are given to identify the wheel of the doctrine with
the path of vision, contains a series of similes comparing the wheel of
the doctrine to a conventional wheel.^67 One of these alternative simi-
les—with which the compilers of the *Abhidharmamahvibhstra do not
agree, is an opinion attributed to the Sarvstivda master Gho aka:
The venerable Gho aka said that the eight members of the path of the
seeker (aikamrga) evolve in connection, and simultaneously obtain some-
one else when turning. [He] therefore said that this turning is [the turning
of] the wheel of the doctrine. This path of eight members dominates the
position of the path of vision, and, therefore, only the path of vision is
said to be the wheel of the doctrine.^68What is meant here is that the eight members of the noble path (the
eight members of the path of the seeker) are inseparable in constitut-
ing the noble path. They therefore can be compared with a wheel
of which the spokes, nave and felloe form a whole. When this wheel
turns, someone else is reached, in the sense that someone else becomes
convinced of the word of the Buddha, and starts to proceed on the
path of liberation. This means that he starts to subdue all de lements
with the path of vision. In this way, it can be claimed that the eightfold
noble path is the wheel of the doctrine, set in motion with the aim of
making humans subdue de lements, and that the eightfold noble path
is identical with the path of vision.^69 This, in fact, is an accentuation of
the primacy of the fourth of the four noble truths, alluded to before,
as it is in the fourth truth that the way to liberation is given.
This master Gho aka is also referred to in the *Sa yuktbhidharmahdaya
and in the Abhidharmakoa.^70 The *Sa yuktbhidharmahdaya summarises(^65) See T.1545.27.911b13–15; T.1.1.9b22–23.
(^66) T.1545.27.911c3–912b4. See also Kimura et al. 1979–1980, p. 144 n. 7;
T.26.1.736c1–25; T.1546.28.158b2–24. 67
T.1545.27.912a16–26.
(^68) T.1545.27.912b1–4. See also T.1546.28.158b21–24.
(^69) Waldschmidt 1951b, p. 96 n. 1, remarks that the Mahvyutpatti calls the rst of
the three 70 parivartas the path of vision.
T.1552.28.950b7–c23; T.1558.29.128b17–c24. See also Dessein 1999, vol. 1,
p. 658; La Vallée Poussin 1980, vol. 4, pp. 244–249; T.1559.29.280a1–10.
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